Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

Rejection

"It's about time, honestly." Bri said through a mouth full of waffles.

"About time for what?" I asked, despite knowing exactly what she meant.

"For Fred to ask you out." Maddie clarified, watching her coffee cup refill itself for the third time already.

"He didn't ask me out." I shot them a look. "Everyone's going."

"No. No. We're not letting you talk yourself out of this one too." Hannah interjected. "The astronomy tower was a date, the Hogsmeade trips? Dates. The Yule Ball is a date." She enunciated each sentence with a jab of her fork in my direction.

"I guess it's a no then?" I turned to the new voice that had joined in our conversation.

"Sorry?" I asked Cedric who was wearing a small smile.

"Heard about you and Weasley. So I'm guessing it's a no, me taking you to the ball."

I felt like all of the pumpkin juice had turned to ice in my stomach as I looked at him. He was smiling, but he still looked sad. I had thought later last night about how I was going to have to officially tell Cedric no, but I hadn't thought he would have heard before I could tell him.

"I'm so sorry, Cedric, I was going to come find you today-"

"It's fine Cassidy. I just wanted to make sure, you know, in case it was just a rumor." He glanced between my friends and me for a second. "It's not, right?"

"No, no. They're going, those crazy lovebirds." Maddie joked, earning a smack from Bri onto her arm to shut her up.

"Just checking. Well, another time maybe?" He shot me a smile, dimples forming into his cheeks. "I'll see you around."

"Bye Ced." I nodded, still feeling the terrible guilty feeling in my stomach.

"You lucky bitch." Maddie sighed, lying her head on her fist and watching the golden haired boy walk back to his crowd of friends, some of who patted him hard on the back as he sat back down.

I tucked another loop of the deep red yarn around the needle and pulled the end through, holding it back to take another look at the project so far. I had been meaning to start this sweater weeks ago, but thankfully it was easier than I had remembered at the Burrow when Molly was teaching me.

I looked up from my spot on the couch as the door to the common room slid open to reveal Maddie and Bri. Maddie's face was red and blotchy, her under eyes red. It was obvious she had been crying. Bri had her arm over her shoulder as they walked towards me, shooting me a look that I couldn't quite read.

"Maddie, what happened?" I asked, dropping my sweater to the table and making room for my friends next to me on the couch.

"I-" She started, her lip quivering quickly before she buried her face in her hands, letting out half a sob and half a whine.

I looked to Bri, wide eyed and confused.

"Maddie, do you want me to tell her?" Bri asked, rubbing circles onto Maddie's back lightly.

Maddie shook her head, lifting her face from her hands and sighing dramatically.

"I'm sorry, I'm being dramatic."

"No you're not." Bri said.

"It was just so... horrible."

"What happened?" I snapped.

"I asked Roger Davies to the ball." She muttered, hugging her legs and pulling a pillow onto her lap.

"Okay? Did he say no?" I asked softly.